It was extraordinary. I’ve never had so many looks from the diners gathered on the pavements of Parkhurst; not even in 2005 when a cyclist crashed into the back of my black Fiat Stilo — MARMITE GP (don’t ask) — at the traffic circle at 4th avenue and 10th street, causing several grand’s worth of […]
2011
Posted inGeneral
Blitz Bokke blitzed
What an amazing weekend of Sevens in Port Elizabeth – I have to say that I am thrilled that the South African leg of the tournament was moved to Port Elizabeth. Although I do feel for George, there is no doubt that the Nelson Mandela Bay stadium has to be one of the most beautiful. […]
Posted inGeneral
Local is lekker: Building communities rather than corporate profits
The internet is the new kaffeeklatsch, a digital clearinghouse of fact, hearsay, humour, folksy wisdom and calculated maliciousness, all in prodigious quantity. The viral email, in turn, is the whisper behind cupped hand of old – rippling with lightning speed through the global village. And, just occasionally, an inspired idea does the rounds. One such […]
Posted inGeneral
A young philosopher of note
I have had the privilege of becoming acquainted with the work of a young Iranian-American philosopher, Farhang Erfani, along various avenues, and what a pleasure it has been. In addition to papers published by him in philosophical journals, he recently published a book, “Aesthetics of Autonomy – Ricoeur and Sartre on Emancipation, Authenticity, and Selfhood” […]
Posted inGeneral
The north-south rugby divide
This past Saturday saw the Wallabies taking on the Welsh Dragons in Cardiff, what a great prospect I felt in the offing. The Welsh most certainly one of the form teams of the Rugby World Cup (RWC) and the Wallabies proving to be the most inconsistent team in world rugby this year. Bryce Lawrence, the […]
Posted inLifestyle
The twilight of testosterone
Something truly extraordinary is happening in the US labour market. At the beginning of 2010, it was revealed, that for the first time in the country’s history, women held a majority of the nation’s jobs. The dramatic rise of women within the ranks of the gainfully employed shouldn’t be seen as solely an American phenomenon. […]
Posted inLifestyle
So much writing, is anyone reading?
By Suntosh Pillay It started innocently enough. But then again, I should have known better. My parents always said don’t go into strange places with strange people. But I couldn’t resist. Before I knew it, I was knee-deep in the online jungle called Amazon. Special offers were popping up in every corner. Books that I’ve […]
Posted inNews/Politics
Zille’s complaint to press ombud a waste of time
Independent Newspapers will be running a special feature on the ANC centenary in January 2012 that will be carried in six of its newspapers. It sent out letters to prospective advertisers inviting them to advertise. Newspapers run these special features to maximise revenue, that’s where it ends. That the publicity from the feature benefits whoever […]
Posted inLifestyle, News/Politics
If COP17 has to do with survival, why aren’t more people interested?
By Karuna Rana For those in the climate-change arena, the yearly UN climate-change negotiations remain an important event. The Copenhagen Summit in 2009 was a massive let-down. Last year, Cancun was unexpectedly hopeful and, this year, the climate-change negotiations have arrived to Durban, South Africa. COP17 is perhaps more crucial than previous meetings as the […]
Posted inGeneral
Do myths about African sexuality hurt the fight against Aids?
Stop me if you’ve heard this one. Q: How many sizes do penises come in? A: Five — “small”, “medium”, “large”, “extra-large”, and “does that come in white?” African men have been the subject of European myth-making since the very earliest days of contact between the two continents. One of the hardiest and most enduring […]
Posted inNews/Politics
From Jewish South African to South African Jew
By Martine Schaffer The question of my South African identity was first raised when I went to Israel after school to study for a year at Hebrew University. I had been educated at Carmel College in Durban and brought up in an environment where my character was very much formed around being Jewish. In Israel, […]
Posted inGeneral
Circus Tevez set for Milan
Carlos Tevez, the enfant terrible of Manchester City, has reportedly agreed terms with AC Milan. It is now up to the Italian club to convince City that the deal they offer is a good one, in a way the blue half of Manchester feel they are getting a fair deal. The move has been brewing […]